37 per cent Nagas live below poverty line

KOHIMA, July 18 - Over 37 per cent of the total population of Nagaland live below the poverty line (BPL), according to official reports. The reports, quoting an assessment by an expert group constituted to implement the Centre's targeted public distribution system, said about 96,000 people of the state were living below poverty line (BPL). Under the BPL scheme, introduced by the Centre in 1997, each identified family was being provided with special cards to collect ten kg of grains per month at a specially subsidised rate. It provided district-wise break-up of the 37 per cent of the BPL population living in eight districts of the State - Tuensang (17,345), Kohima (14,834), Dimapur (14,138), Mokokchung (12,320), Phek (10,170), Mon (9,329), Zunheboto (9,202) and Wokha (8,658).